Adjustable combat vehicle armor

Abstract

Add-on armor for military vehicles to prevent premature vehicle obsolesce due to enemy threats arising after the date of vehicle manufacture. The vehicle is designed to accept detachable armor components or systems, thereby permitting armor replacement to meet new enemy threats.

We claim: 
     
       1. A military combat vehicle comprising a chassis having an outer wall (18) defining the vehicle envelope, said chassis wall average areal density being sufficient for chassis structural integrity but insufficient for substantial anti-ballistic effect; a multiplicity of regularly-spaced blind holes formed in the outer surface of said chassis outer wall (18), the blind holes being internally threaded; a first set of add-on armor panels (16a) positionable flatwise directly on the outer surface of the chassis outer wall with no clearance space therebetween; a second set of add-on armor panels (16) positionable in outwardly spaced relationship to the first set of armor panels; panel-retention bolts (19) extending through the second armor panels and first armor panels into the aforementioned blind holes, and spacers (26) associated with the bolts in the spaces between the first armor panels and the second armor panels; a propulsion system (11) within the chassis; and a suspension system carried by the chassis for minimizing terrain shocks imposed on the chassis during vehicle movement; the propulsion system and suspension system being sized and designed to operate with the add-on armor panels in place on the vehicle; the above-described hole-bolt type connection mechanisms permitting replacement of the add-on panels with different add-on armor systems devised after initial manufacture of the vehicle; the areal density of said first and second add-on armor panels being appreciably greater than the chassis wall areal density, whereby panel replacement procedures can be employed to drastically alter the anti-ballistic characteristics of the vehicle. 
     
     
       2. The military vehicle of claim 1: the average areal density of the first and second add-on armor panels being collectively at least twice the average areal density of the chassis outer wall.